Milling machine drive mechanism



NOV. 27, 1945. R LE BLQND ETAL 2,389,627

MILLING MACHINE DRIVE MECHANISM Original Filed on. 14, 1941 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS. RICHARD K. LEBLOND BY HARRY LKEMPER ATTORNEYS.

Nov. 27, 1945. R. K. LE BLOND ETAL 2,389,627

MILLING MACHINE DRIVE MECHANISM Original Filed 001:. '14, 1941 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS. RICHARD K. LEBLOND ATTORNEYS.

Nov. 27, 1945. R. K. LE BLOND ETAL 7 MILLING MACHINE DRIVE MECHANISM Original Filed Oct. 14, 1941' 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN V EN TORS.

1 RICHHARD \REBLOSQ RRRY EMF B FIG ]]I Y ATTORNEYS.

1945- R. K. LE, BLOND ETAL 2,389,627

MILLING MACHINE DRIVE MECHANISM Original Filed Oct. 14, 1941 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 VII ATTORNEYS.

Nov. 27, 1945. R K, LE BLQND ETA L 2,389,62?

MILLING MACHINE DRIVE MECHANISM Original Filed Oct. 14, 1941 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORS.

RICHARD K. LEBLOND BY HARRY c. KEMFER TMQMM'Q JFMQML.

ATTQRNETS.

Nov. 27, 1945. R. K. LE BLOND ETAL 2,389,627

MILLING MACHINE DRIVE MECHANISM Original Filed Oct. 14, 1941 6 Sheets-Sheet s aos A mmvroxs. & mcHARn K. LEBLOND HARRY c. KEMFER ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 27, 1945 UNITED1 STATES PATENT OFFICE MILLING MACHINE DRIVE MECHANISM Richard K. Le Blond, Cincinnati, and Harry G. K623113211; Goshen Township, Clermont County, fihio', assignors to: The R. K. Le Blond Machine Tool (30., Cincinnati, Ohio, a corporation 011 Delaware Original application October 14, 1941, Serial No.

414,962, now Patent No. 2,338,121, dated January; t, 1944. Divided and this application December 18; L943, Serial No. 514,761

knee, the saddle; and the table; of; suchv milling machines, which are generally known as knee and saddle; type milling machines;

An object-of this invention; is to provide an improved power transmission connection between the cutter spindle transmission mechanism. in the column and: the'iee'd transmission associated with the knee, saddle, and table of a knee and column type milling machine.

A further object isto provide atotallyenclosed simplified; .driveconnection between the transmission mechanism in: the column. and: the transmission mechanism in theknee: of a knee and column type milling machine. V

And a still further'ob-ject'is to. provide a, universal joint. drive shaft interconnecting the cutter spindle power transmission. in the column with the feed: transmission in the knee of a milling machine which'istotally enclosedrhy the. col.- umn. and knee. structure of the machine.

It is also an object. to.- provide an. improved universal joint driveshaft interconnecting: the column gearing and the knee gearing'of a milling machine which is located between the guide; ways onthe column and knee. 1

Further features and advantages; of this. invention will appear from a detailed description of the drawings in which: 1

Figure I is a left handsideelevation' of the column of' the. milling machine, particularly showing the control levers ,for the 'main. drive clutch and brakemeichanism; the change speed control levers forthe cutter spindle, the." spindle reversing. control lever-,, and; the electrical push button station for controlling the main drive motor and acoolant. pumpmotor when utilized.

Figure. II is a front elevation of the milling machine, partly in section, on. the line II-II of Figures I, III, and.

Figure 11-1 is an. enlarged; fragmentary section of the control mechanism for: the; spindle drive transmission in the column as indicated. by the line.III--III on FigureII. 1 1

Figure IV is a diagrammatic section through the transmission mechanism forrotating the cutter spindle through the'direct' gear drive and through the high speed belt drive; and; also shows the power take-off for thefeedi drivetransmission in the knee of they machine, as, indicated by the 1ine.IV-IV in. Figure II.

Figure V is a right hand side. elevation of. the knee, saddle, and table of, the milling machine.

'Figure V1 is a diagrammatic sectional view through the feed drive transmission in the knee of the machine tool.

For illustrative purposes this invention is shown applied to a conventional plain knee and column type milling machine, comprising a column 1 upon which is vertically reciprocatably vmounted the knee 2 on suitable guide ways 3 formed on the front face of the column I. On top of the knee is reciprocatably mounted the saddle 4 for horizontal movement on suitable guide ways 5 formed on the" top of the knee 2, and on top of the saddle 41s slidably'mounted the work table 6 upon suitable guide-ways 1 formed on topof the saddle In. the column I is appropriately journaled cutter spindle 8 on suitable bearings 9: and it to wh ch may be connected the various rotary milling cutters orarborswhich are in turn supported; at their outer end by'conventional means such as the-overarm support H mounted in suitable guide-ways !2 in the top of the column 1'.

Power for rotating the; tool. spindle 8 is derived from a suitable main drive motor connected through appropriate belts to the main drive clutch and brake pulley [8 which is appropriately journaled on suitable bearings 19 and 20 carried by the projecting shaft 21 of a. bracketv Z2 fixed to the partition wall 23 formed in the column I of the milling machine.

The driving pulley. l8, through conventional clutch and brake mechanism 24' of a type for example as shown in Patent #I,4.'7 i,l.12 dated November 13, 1923 may be alternately connected to or disconnected from they pulle shaft 25 by appropriately actuating the control rod 26 passing through the center of this shaft and. actuatin the clutch and brake device 24 in the conventional manner. In this way power is, delivered to the shaft 25 upon which is journaled a, relatitively large driving gear 2'! and a shiftable multiple' gear 28 on the splinedportion 29 of the shaft having progressively smaller gears. 30, 31, and 32 with respect to the gear 2'! and also having clutch teeth 33 adapted. to he engaged with mating teeth 34 on the gear 21 so that when these clutch teeth are engaged the gear 2'! will. be positively driven by the gear 28 from the shaft 25.

A second shaft 35 has fixed. on it a series of gears 36, 31, 38, and 39 all arranged to rotate positively together. The gear 36 is constantly in mesh with the gear 21 while the gears 31, 38',

pound gear 43 slidably mounted on a shaft 44 in driving relation on the splined portion 45, thereof. Gear 43 is also arranged to slide to bring its gear 46 into direct driving engagement with the gear 39 on the shaft 35. In this way rotation of the shaft 44 from the shaft 35 may be had through the driving transmission train 38-4I 42 or by shifting the compound gear 43 so that the driving power will then be transmitted from the gear 39 of the shaft 35 directly to the gear 46 to the shaft 44, so as to effect reversal of. rotation for the shaft 44 asdesired by appropriately shifting the gear 43.

Also fixed on the shaft 44 are a series of three gears 41, 48, and 49 which are arranged to be respectively engaged by the gears 50, 5|, and 52 of a triple gear arrangement slidably mounted on the splined portion 53 of the shaft 54. By appropriately sliding the triple gear combination of gears 505|-52 a plurality of three different speed ranges may be had between the shaft 44 and 54 and in conjunction with the four speed changes effected between the shafts and a series of twelve different speeds may be effected between the pulley drive shaft 25 and the shaft 54 by appropriately shifting the gear 28 and the triple gear 50--5I 52.

From the'shaft 54 power may be delivered to the tool spindle 8' either directly by gear drive for relatively slow speed for roughing cutter speeds or directly through belt drive transmission to the spindle to effect relatively high speed finishing cutting operations; The gear drive to the spindle 8 is effected from the pinion 55 fixed on the-shaft 54 which in turn drives a gear 56 slidably mounted on a shaft 51 which in turn engages with the gear 58 fixedon thetool spindle 8 of the machine. The gear 56 is arranged in constant mesh with the gear 55 and to slide on the shaft 51 into or out of meshing engagement with the gear 58 on the spindle 8.

Journaled on the bracket 59-fixed tothe partition 23 in the column of the milling machine on suitable bearings 60 is the high speed driving pulley 6|. In the center bore of this pulley is slidably mounted a stub shaft 62 in sliding keyed driving relationship so as to permit axial sliding of the shaft 62 in this pulley to engage its clutch teeth 63 with mating clutch teeth 64 fixed on a clutch member 64a fixed on the shaft 54, so that by axially moving the,stub shaft 62 the pulley 6| may be alternately connected or disconnected in driving relation with the shaft 54. The pulley 6| isdirectly connected through appropriate V belts 65 with the spindle pulley 66 fixed on the rear portion of the tool spindle 8. His thus apparent that the method of operation of this latter drive comprises either engaging the gear 56 with the gear 58 while the clutch members 63 and 64 are disengaged to effect powerful slow speed gear drive for the tool spindle 8 or disengaging the gears 56 and 58 and engaging the clutches 63 and 64 to effect relatively high speed driving to accomplished by shifting the compound gear 43,

Figure IV, as described for engagement of either the gears 4| and 42 of the gears 39 and 46 by means of the spindle reverse lever 93, Figure I.

The twelve primary speed changes for the tool spindle 8 are effected by the sequential movement of the triple gear 28 and the triple gear -5 |-52 as described and is accomplished by means of control lever I02. The selection of the direct gear drive'or the direct belt drive ranges for the tool spindle 8 is effected by the control lever I28 associated with the control lever I02 and directly below it as shown in Figure I.

Power'for actuating the knee 2, saddle 4, and work table 6 is derived from the gear |5| fixed to rotate with the main driving pulley I8 at all times while the main drive pulley I8 is rotating. This gear |5| in turn drives a gear I 52 fixed on a shaft I53 appropriately journaled in a bracket I54 fixed to the column I of the machine, shaft I53 having a gear I which drives a gear I56 fixed on a shaft I51 appropriately journaled in the bracket I54. Power from the shaft I51 is transmitted through the universal joint I58 having the usual telescopic sleeve I59 which operates in conjunction with the splined portion of the drive shaft NH. The outer end of this drive shaft is connected through another universal joint I62 to the input drive shaft I63 of the knee 2 of the milling machine.

It is to be particularly noted, referring to Figures I, II, and V, that the universal joint drive shaft, interconnecting the cutter spindle transmission in the column and the feed transmission in the knee, is adapted to swing up and down in the slot S in the front face of the column to accommodate vertical movements of the knee. This slot is positioned intermediate the guide ways 3 of the column and has its upper portion always closed by the knee even when the knee is in its lower-most position to thus provide a totally enclosed structure for the universal joint by shaft arrangement.

Power takeoff from the shaft I63 for effecting feeding motion in the knee, saddle, and table is derived from the gear I64 formed integrally on said shaft I63 which drives a gear I fixed on a shaft I66 journaled in the knee 2 which also has fixed on it a'series of four different size gears I61, I68, I69, and I10 forming a cone of gears each of which is engaged by respective gears I1I, I12, I13 and I14 journaled on a dive key shaft I15 appropriately journaled in the knee 2 of the machine. Each of these gears |1|, I12, I13, and I14 may be respectively engaged in driving relation on the shaft I15 by the usual dive key I16 which may be slid along in the slot I11 by appropriately moving the actuating spool I 18. In this way four different speed changes are effected between the shaft I 63 and the shaft I15.

0n the shaft I15 are'fixed the three different sized gears I19, I88, and 'I 8| which in turn engage respective gears I82, I83, and I84 journaled on the second dive key shaft I 85 which is also apasaaezrz h enrietelv rdtatably mounted iii-the. kneel or the milling machine. Each of the: gears 1-8 and 84 may be respectively enga ed in (ii-isms r lat on on this shaft M5 by appropriately manibble-ting the usual dive hey I88 by meansof ts actuatin Spool- L81. In way a series of three di erent speed variations may: be obtained between the-shafts I and I85 and taken. in ement-#1011 the four different speed tween theshafts Miami 1155 provide a total of w v d fierentsoeeds between the-shafts "its nd 1'85 cons ituting a sen sof pri ary p ed changes for the knee, saddle, and table feed motion.

Two primary or coarse ranges of feed are effected through the gearing comprising the gear I88 fixed on the shaft I85 which drives the gear I 89 of the compound gear I90 rotatably journaled on the shaft I9I which is also rotatably mounted in the knee 2. This compound gear I90 also has the small pinion gear I92 which engages in driving relation with the gear I93 of the compound gear I94 journaled on the shaft I85 and which compound gear I94 also has a pinion I95 formed on it, which may be engaged with the gear I93 of the clutch gear I 91 which is slidably mounted by splined connection I98 on the shaft NH and which gear I91 also has an internal clutch gear I99 adapted to engage over the gear I92 of the compound gear I90. Thus if the clutch I99 is shifted into engagement with gear I92 the drive to the gear I91 will be effected from the shaft I85 to the respective gears I 88, I89, I92 and to the clutch I99 directly to the gear I91 to give a relatively high rate of rotation to this gear I91.

The other range of drive of relatively lower ratio comprises a drive to the shaft I85 through its gear I88 fixed thereon, the gear I89, the gear I92, and the gears I93, I 95 through gear I96 into the gear I91.

The gear I96 in turn is connected to the overload feed clutch gear 200 which is appropriately journaled on a shaft I which shaft in turn is rotatably mounted in the knee 2 of the machine. This gear 200 which is really rotatable on the shaft 20I has formed on it clutch teeth 202 which may be engaged normally with the teeth 293 of the sliding clutch sleeve 204 splined in driving relation on the splined portion 205 of the shaft 20! and which member 204 is normally urged with its clutch teeth 203 into engagement with the clutch teeth 202 by a yielding pressure spring 206 which normally keep-s these clutch teeth 292 and 203 in driving relation with each other providing no excessive load or obstruction to the rotation of the shaft 20I is caused by the meeting of the knee, saddle, or table with an obstruction, so as to prevent damage to the feeding mechanism due to excessive overloading.

Feed driving power is transmitted from the shaft 20] through the rollers 226 of the overrunning clutch device 221 to the gear 228, which gear in turn is connected in driving relation with an idler gear 229 journaled on a shaft 239 fixed in the knee 2, which gear 229 simultaneously engages gears 23] and 232 respectively journaled on the shafts 233 and 234 each rotatably mounted in the knee 2. The gear 232 is fixed on the shaft 234 as is also a second gear 235 fixed on this shaft 234 which gear 235 engages a gear 236 journaled on the shaft 233. Thus, in this arrangement the gear 23I will be driven in one direction directly from the gear 229 whereas the gear 236 will be driven in the opposite direction through the gear 232, shaft 234, and gear 235.

as described. 242 is provided; in each of the gears 23I and the shaft 233 in both directions as follows:

.A suitable reversing clutch. comprising the clutch spool 231 appropriately mounted on the splined portion 233a of the shaft 233 has clutch teeth 238 'arrangedto engage clutch teeth 239 on the gear 236 and has clutch teeth 2'40 arranged to engage clutch teeth 124i on the gear 23I. The clutch spool is slidably mounted on the splined. portion 233a to effectaiternate en gagement of the clutch teeth 238 and 239 or clutch teeth 249 and 24I, in this way effecting reversal of the drive to the shaft 233 from feed driving power transmitted from the gear 229 Suitable spring cushion means 236 to effect easy and smooth engagement of the clutch teeth by the spool 231. In this way above described, the shaft 233 may be rotated at a plurality of twenty-four difierent feeding speeds by the various gear trains described and also be actuated at these twenty-four different speeds in either direction by manipulation of the clutch spool 231 as described.

The rapid traverse power is also applied to On the shaft I63 is fixed a clutch member 243 which has a suitable multiple disc clutch 244 which may be alternately connected or disconnected with respect to the shaft I63 by manipulation of the spool 245 whereupon the gear 246 connected to the multiple disc clutch arrangement may be rendered connected or disconnected to the power input from the shaft I63. This gear 246 is in driving engagement with the gear 232 so that power connected to the multiple disc clutch 244 from the shaft I63 is transmitted at one time through the gears 246-232-229--23I or from the gears 246 and 232, shaft 234, gear 235 and gear 236, and by appropriately manipulating the clutch spool 231 may effect connecting of either of the gears 23I or 236 to the shaft 233 for applying rapid traverse power from the shaft I63 to the shaft 233. It will also be noted that the clutch 244 may be engaged at any time during the feeding operation as the actuation of the shaft 234 and the respective associated gears 23I and 236 and rapid traverse speed and the idler gear 229 connected to the gears 23I and 232 at the rapid accelerated rate will not effect the input-{feeding power from the shaft 20I since the over running clutch provides this increase in rotation of the shaft 233 without effecting the feed input drive. Likewise, as soon as the rapid traverse is disengaged by disengaging the clutch 244 th'e feed shaft 20 I will again immediately pick up and continue the relative feeding motion to the shaft 233. It will also be noted that since the shaft I63 is at all times rotating constantly from the main drive pulley I8 that the rapid traverse clutch 244 may be operated to at any time effect the rapid traverse drive to the shaft 233.

The clutch spool 231 for effecting rotation of the shaft 233 in either direction at feeding speed and the clutch spool 245 of the rapid traverse multiple disc clutch 244 are operated in sequential movement by appropriate control apparatus to be described later so as to effect feed in either direction or rapid traverse in either direction for the shaft 233. The driving power from the combined feed and rapid traverse reversing transmission above described is transmitted to the knee, saddle, and table of the milling machine from the gear 241 through any suitable transmission mechanism.

The twelve primary feed changes for the work table, saddle, and knee are effected by the sequential movement of the dive key actuating spools I18 and I81. major ranges of work feed 'isobtained by the movement of the gear I91,

Having thus fully set forth and described our invention whatwe claim as new and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

In a milling machine, a column, a knee, spaced parallel ways on said column mounting said knee for translation in a first direction, work feeding devices on said knee supporting and guiding a work piece thereon for movement in second and third directions, all said directions being mutual- The selection ofthe two 'ly normal, a first shaft journaled in said column,

a second shaft journaled in said knee, said shafts being substantially parallel, mechanical, variable speed connections between said second shaft and said devices, a splined sleeve, a universal joint connecting said sleeve to one of said shafts, ashaft splined to fit said sleeve, and a second universal joint connecting said splined shaft to the other of said first and second shafts, said splined shaft extending between said ways and being enclosed by said column and knee.

RICHARD K. LEBLOND. HARRY C. KEMPER. 

